Typically, a compression connector comprises one or more terminals disposed in a connector housing. During assembly of the connector, the terminals are typically inserted into the prefabricated housing. For assembly purposes, the terminal typically has a carrier for handling the terminal. In one design, the carrier is attached to the terminal at a solder tail portion as an extension thereof. The solder tail portion and the carrier are typically disposed at one end of the terminal and extends substantially perpendicular to a main body of the terminal.
After the terminal is inserted into the housing, the carrier is cut away or broken off from the solder tail portion. The solder tail portion may be susceptible to damages in the process of removing the carrier, which may adversely effect the soldering of the solder tail portion to a board on which the connector is mounted.
In another terminal design, the carrier is attached to the terminal at a retention area of the terminal. The retention area is typically disposed at a midpoint along the height of the terminal. In this design, again the carrier is typically arranged substantially perpendicular to the main body of the terminal. The carrier will be cut away or broken off from the retention area after the terminal is inserted into the housing.
For the above-mentioned terminal designs, portions of the terminal are thus at a relatively long distance from a plane of the carrier, in particular when the carrier is attached to the solder tail portion. Those portions of the terminal are therefore susceptible to bending during handling and processing.
These problems are particularly significant when the height of the terminal is large in comparison to a width (or depth) of the terminal, such as tall terminals used to reduce deflection for preventing excessive wiping during compression and to meet a final connector height.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a terminal designed to address at least one of the above-mentioned problems.